Falling in Love Again
by Auburn Red
Summary: X-Over between the Maltese Falcon and The Big Sleep.Effie Perine goes for a night on the town and meets a very special friend in Carmen Sternwood.


Falling in Love Again

By Auburn Red

A Maltese Falcon/Big Sleep x-over

Disclaimer: Unless I invented a time machine that allowed me to go back into the past, change myself into a man, change my name and write hard-boiled detective stories for _The Black Mask_, I do not own these characters. Effie Perrine, Sam Spade and the cast of the _Maltese Falcon_ belong to Dashiell Hammett, John Huston, and Warner Bros. Carmen Sternwood, Vivian Sternwood, Phillip Marlowe and the cast of_ The Big Sleep_ belong to Raymond Chandler, Howard Hawkes, and Warner Brothers. The characters, Gloria and Lili belong to me. The climate and atmosphere of the story is based on real police raids and the gay and lesbian subculture in 1930's United States. The title belongs to the song; "Falling in Love Again (Can't Help It)" originally composed by Friedrich Hollander with English lyrics by Sammy Lerner and most famously performed by Marlene Dietrich in the movie, _The Blue Angel. _

Oh, and I should mention I am using a combination of book and movie- verses for both, with naturally the movie appearances of the characters. I apologize if the setting of _The Big Sleep_ is meant to be much later than _Maltese Falcon_. The films never stated when they were specifically set and I misplaced my copy of the novel of _The Big Sleep._

Effie shifted her toes inside her shoes, so her boss wouldn't see how nervous she was. She finished explaining the phone calls that she made and notes that she took on Sam's latest case. It wasn't too exciting, tracking down a wayward husband. At least, it wasn't as exciting as the whole Maltese Falcon case, but it was the kind of case that put money on the table for Sam and in turn for her, so she couldn't complain too much. These days, who could afford to turn down a job?

"Good job, sister," Sam said not looking up from the tea leaves that he dunked in the mug.

"Will there be anything else, Sam?" Effie asked_. Oh please say there is_, the blond secretary thought. She reminded herself that she didn't have to go there. No one was making her, but the thought consumed her. _Come on girl,_ she thought, _Go before you change your mind again._

"No, it's okay," Sam said. "Going home?"

Effie nodded and put on her jacket and hat. "Yeah, Mom's not doing too well and I ain't going anywhere special."

"Okay, I'll give you a ring if I need you," he said. Effie looked squarely at her boss. Could he know what she was planning on doing tonight? She hadn't actually said so, but could he guess? Well he was a private detective and he may have his assumptions. He thought that she was a good secretary and treated her like a little sister. He wouldn't act on his assumptions, not without concrete evidence anyway. Effie Perine hoped that she was right.

"Sure Sam," the secretary said feeling pale. She turned around and headed for the door. "See you tomorrow."

"You too," Sam said as Effie left the door.

Effie stood outside the apartment and headed into the streets. "Okay, here goes," she said out loud. "This had better be good."

Effie pulled a trick that Sam had taught her, she changed cabs on her way around. She didn't know if police were tailing her, but she couldn't afford to be reckless. The last thing that she wanted was a pansy raid on her first time out to a lesbian club.

She had never been to one of these before. What would it be like? Would she meet somebody? Did it matter? All that she had ever encountered was heartache. She had always kept her feelings to herself, until very recently. She wasn't a stranger to encounters with women. She had her first time at age sixteen with another girl at secretarial school. The two had gotten drunk, fumbled around, and the next thing that Effie knew they were on top of each other ripping one another's clothes off. After that, there were mostly moments of accidental touching, fooling around, and maybe a flirtation or two and certainly crushes. She had infatuations with many women, Sam's clients (like that gorgeous knock-out Brigid O'Shaughnessy), and women that she met across the street. Hell, she had dreams about Marlene Dietrich and Greta Garbo for weeks after seeing _Anna Christie_ and _The Blue Angel_. She had lived in misery and loneliness until just recently. Now she lived in misery, loneliness, and heartbreak. She recalled the beautiful blue eyes of Gloria and the scent of Chanel and bit her lip to keep from crying. 26 years old and her strongest relationship was a one-night stand with another man's wife.

Effie exited the cab and paid the driver ignoring his leering look. The blond woman lit a cigarette and leaned against a wall. She was just a few blocks away from the Nightshade Club, the club that, Lili had told her about. She could turn around and head back, go home to her mother and have one more lonely night. She could just turn around and pretend to be straight. She could just turn around and one day maybe she would feel nothing. She paced back and forth trying to block Gloria from her mind. The last thing that she wanted to do was cover one hurt with another.

Gloria Hemmings was a beautiful woman. She was an eyewitness to one of Sam's cases, pretty, brunette… and married. After Sam wrapped up business with her, Effie worked up her nerves to inquire about some business of her own. Gloria spoke to her with that cultured West Coast accent and informed the young woman that she had feelings for her as well. The two kissed and wandered into Gloria's palatial bedroom where they made love. It was one of those types of nights where hopes were raised too high, promises were made too soon, and the two women spoke of undying love. Effie believed it. Two nights later, Effie left a cab and saw Gloria exit a limo with her husband. Effie didn't say anything, but Gloria's look told her everything that she needed to know, a withering look that said that Effie would never mean anything to her than a fly-by-night break from her husband, the other woman. Effie had hoped for too much and it bit her on the ass.

Until Gloria, she was content to keep her romantic feelings for other women to herself. Her mother may have guessed, but she was so old-fashioned and a woman of the Old World that she misunderstood. She figured that her "darlink" daughter's female friends were just that, friends and often wondered out loud when she was going to find and marry a man. To which Effie often responded, "Mom most men aren't going to want to marry the daughter of immigrants who works as a secretary and the few that do only want a maid for life!" Maybe Sam knew and he and the late Miles Archer would sometimes kid her about being the prospective father or brother figures to any potential suitors. They may have even jokingly referred to her as "one of the boys" or a "darn-good man," but she didn't think that they knew not really. If her father were alive, would he know? It didn't matter. In absence of any sons, he always treated his young daughter like the son that he never had, by discussing politics, crime, sports and just about anything else with his daughter.

A scream broke from Effie's thoughts. She stubbed her cigarette and ran to the direction of the scream. Effie Perine had worked too long for a detective agency for her to be deaf to someone's screams. She turned to the direction to an alley and saw three very large men standing over a young auburn haired woman. Effie quietly approached the scene. The young woman's brown eyes looked terrified. One of the men ripped off a part of her black dress. "Keep your trap shut, bitch!" one yelled as the other two laughed.

"Hey," Effie yelled. The three men looked up as she clenched her fists. "Leave her alone!"

The men dropped the young woman on the ground. She fell on her bottom with an "oof," that was rather comic. Effie wanted to laugh, but the girl obliged by giggling. Somehow that made the blond feel more protective towards her. "Hey lookee what we have here folks," one said to his buddies.

"Let's take a look at Blondie here," one thug approached her and grabbed her arm. Effie dropped his grasp and gave the man an icy look.

"If you think you're going to touch me, and then you're sadly mistaken," Effie dared. The men guffawed. The big one who grabbed her then wrapped his arms around the small blond woman. She struggled and kicked at the man dropping his grip on her. He lowered his stoop in surprise, and then she seized the opportunity to belt him on the mouth, then the stomach. His two buddies guffawed in surprise. Another approached her and she gave him a right hook. He too staggered. She turned to the third man, "Wanna try handsome?" The man didn't respond. Instead he helped his friends stand.

"Shit, it's a fucking dyke," one said as they ran off.

Effie sighed with relief. "That'll take care of them," she said. "I just hope they don't cause any more trouble." She turned to the woman. "Are you alright?"

She held out her hand and the young woman nodded. "Uh huh," she said and giggled again. She slapped on the ground as she laughed. "Okay, it wasn't really that funny," Effie said sarcastically. The woman then stopped laughing and began to cry. She covered her face with her hands and sobbed harder.

"Hey it's okay," Effie said softly. She knelt down and embraced the young woman. "They're gone now."

The girl sobbed. "I thought things would be different, but they're not." She sniffed inside the woman's arms. "No different," she mumbled. "No Owen, No Joe, No Geiger, No Viv, No Father, but no different."

Effie pulled the woman away from her. Tears fell down her pale cheeks and messed with her mascara. She wore a black dress which was meant to be provocative but was ripped in several parts from the men's assault. Her pupils were dilated and Effie could tell that she was on something. Perversely, Effie looked down at her fingers and could see that there was no ring, nor any mark that indicated that one had ever been there. She looked her up and down. She wasn't too physically hurt, except her lip was bleeding probably to keep from speaking out, but obviously she was terrified. "What's your name?" Effie asked.

"Carmen," the girl said sucking her thumb. "like the opera. You know dum dum dad dum." She sang a few bars of Habanera sounding very shaky and giggled again. Privately, Effie wondered if the girl was unstable.

"Well Carmen, my name is Effie," Effie replied. "Where are you staying?"

"The Hotel Belvedere," Carmen replied. Effie knew it. She had a look and a voice that indicated money. She was even kind of pretty. Effie fought the urge to give her a protective kiss. What if she wasn't the same way? Effie helped her stand and satisfied herself by smoothing back her silken auburn hair.

"So what are you doing all the way out here," Effie asked. Carmen smiled and bit her lip.

"Just seeing the sights," Carmen answered. "I've never been to San Francisco before."

"Where are you from?" Effie asked.

"L.A.," Carmen answered.

"City of Angels huh?" Effie replied. "Well it fits." The girl laughed and Effie slapped her forehead frustrated. How could she have opened herself enough for this strange woman to know? Worst of all, how could she have done it to say something so corny? "I'm sorry," she said. "That was stupid."

Carmen laughed again. "No, I like it, it's cute," she said. "You're cute, Atalanta."

Effie was puzzled. "Ata- who?"

"Atalanta," Carmen laughed. "She was a woman in Greece who could fight and run against any man and win."

"What happened to her?" Effie asked.

"Some man challenged her to a race and tricked her, so he won and married her," Carmen replied. "In the end the gods turned her into a lion."

Effie snorted. "Typical." Carmen giggled again and sucked her thumb. "I had this professor who liked stories about Greece and Rome." She laughed again. "Some of them were really naughty." Carmen approached the young woman and held her by the neck. Effie pulled away. She felt her face flush but she tried to ignore it. Jesus, what if a cop was watching? What if she were some sort of plant bribed by cops to catch women like her? She could just see Det. Polhaus getting a big laugh out of this. "Aren't you a little young to be out on the streets by yourself?"

"Uh uh," Carmen replied. "I'm plenty legal. Besides, I'm here to get away from my troubles. They said I'm better and I want to be better." She pulled closer to her but once again Effie resisted. Oh God, this was killing her!

"Who are they?" Effie asked.

"Oh the doctors," Carmen said dazed. "My sister, Viv, Doghouse Reilly who isn't Reilly Doghouse Really-I mean who Reilly isn't, oh you know what I mean. Daddy wouldn't think so, but he's dead so he can't say can he?"

Effie shook her head. "No, I guess he can't." She replied.

"I want to celebrate my recovery," Carmen said pouting.

"It looks like you've done enough celebrating," Effie answered. The girl's lip trembled and her eyes quivered. She shifted a little closer to the blonde woman. Effie shifted her in her grasp, but allowed her lips to kiss the woman's hair as she moved. She raised her hand and called a cab. She called to the driver. "Hotel Belvedere. " The girl protested. "Look Miss – Carmen, the best thing that I can do is send you home." She slipped a bill to the cabbie and put the other young woman inside. Carmen lowered the window and whistled at her.

"Okay, good-bye," Carmen slurred. "I still think you're cute, Atalanta." The car drove away.

Effie looked as the cab drove beyond the street. _Good riddance_, she told herself that_ was close_. She almost laughed at the irony. Here she was getting all mopey about feeling lonely and a beautiful woman practically threw herself at her and what did Effie Perine do? Put her in a cab and send her back to her hotel. It was just too big a chance for her to take. Effie was about to raise her hand to call for a cab to take herself home, but before she could think any more about it. She turned in her heels and headed for the bar.

Effie walked around to the back and rapped on the back door. The peephole opened and the blond could just make out an eye staring straight at her through the hole. "Virginia sent me," Effie said remembering the pass phrase to let her in. The door opened to reveal a tall woman with short cropped black hair wearing slacks. She waved Effie inside.

Effie looked around. Even though the club was restricted to the back of a bar, it was larger than she had imagined that it would be. The room was dark, and the air was filled with cigarette smoke. Lamps lit on the tables and she could see a band playing a slow song with a woman singing. Effie squinted and realized that the singer was a man in drag and his back up musicians were all females in male drag. "Cute," Effie said and winced remembering that Carmen had described her that way. Women were dancing next to each other. Some were dressed like men, but most were wearing dresses. They were young, old, black, white. They sat in the stools, at the bar, danced with each other. They could have fallen out of the sky for all Effie cared. She had never seen so many women like her in one place before.

Effie shyly approached the bar and ordered bourbon. "Effie darling," a female voice called. Effie turned to see her friend, Lili Montandon approach her. Her curly hair was ash-blond and tinged with gray. She was dressed in tuxedo and smoked a long cigarette. "I hoped that you would finally make it."

"I almost didn't have the nerve," Effie answered truthfully. Lilli had lived with the artistic set in New York in the 1920's and moved to San Francisco on a whim. She was extremely flamboyant and flaunted her lovers, both male and female in front of the public. Effie found her at times exasperating but also was in awe of her. How did she manage it? But, then again Lilli had enough wealth to buy off authorities who looked the other way. In fact it was Lilli who talked up the idea for Effie to come to the club.

"Now you look positively sad with that little bourbon," Lilli answered. "Please get something else, a martini or a cocktail." She ordered one for the younger woman before she objected. "Still trying to drink down the memory of Gloria Hemmings?"

Effie shrugged as if it didn't matter. "You think that she is drinking down the memory of me?"

"I keep telling you darling," Lilli said giving her friend a kiss on the cheeks. "You should come to Europe with me and the other girls. It's a veritable buffet for people like us. Do you know how many of us lesbians live openly with their girlfriends? How many of them run salons or are writers like Virginia Woolf and Alice Toklas?"

Effie laughed bitterly. "Look, Lilli, you can afford to live like that. Virginia Woolf can afford to live like that. I can't. The rules are different for me and you know it. There's too much to consider, like my mother and my job. A working girl like me, doesn't have any business running around with other women."

Lilli rolled her eyes. They had this conversation many times. "Suit yourself, Effie, darling. Now, I will go catch some of the young birds." She smiled in a provocative leer that seemed almost manly and headed for the dance floor.

Effie rolled her eyes and returned to her drink. She didn't have a bad time that night. She drank with some of the patrons, even worked up the courage to dance with some, breaking through her natural shell and even getting somewhat flirtatious. It was very different than what she was used to. She could get used to nights like this.

She drank again from her martini as she heard a voice say, "Atalanta!" Effie turned around to see Carmen greeting her. The young woman's face was less pale and more flushed. Her eyes were still somewhat dilated, but she had lost the frightened unstable look. In fact, she seemed to be alive and full of energy.

Effie couldn't resist smiling. "What are you doing here?" she asked.

"I told you I wanted to celebrate my recovery and here I am," she said.

"What is your recovery from anyway? You never told me." Effie asked.

Carmen giggled. "Men." She said. Briefly the blond could see the haunted look return in the younger woman's eyes, then just as quickly disappear. She wore a beautiful silken black dress which had red dragons leaning trailing off her shoulders. Her hair was turned loose to her shoulders. To Effie, she looked beautiful.

Effie's head swam with the alcohol. She could feel all of her earlier inhibitions drop one by one. "Would you like to dance?" she asked as the band played, "Falling in Love Again" which was Effie's favorite song from _The Blue Angel. _The singer even draped herself (himself? Effie wasn't sure what to call them) across a chair ala Marlene Dietrich in the movie. "Falling in love again," the singer sang in an almost perfect impression of Dietrich. "Never wanted to/What's a girl to do/Can't help it."

Carmen smiled and took the other woman's hand as they danced. Their bodies touched. Effie could smell the perfume on the young girl. It wasn't the same as Gloria's, but it had an almost flowery freshness. Carmen's breasts touched hers as their legs moved in a synchronous motion. Carmen had her hands across Effie's shoulders as she held the other woman's waist. They pulled closer together. It seemed natural to her. It felt comforting.

"How long are you staying in San Francisco?" Effie asked.

"For the weekend," Carmen answered. "But I have no definite plans afterwards. I might go to Mexico, but who knows? Maybe, I'm just looking for something else. Have you ever danced with another woman before?"

"No," Effie said. "You?"

"A couple of times," Carmen replied. "But you're a much better dancer than they are." Their hands roved towards each other as their fingers gradually touched before they interlocked. The two women's hands clasped each other and they looked squarely at each other in the eyes and leaned closer. Their lips locked. Effie felt energy surge from her head to her toes. This woman gave her such a passionate rush of lust, of passion, of love.

A whistle broke from their thoughts. The clientele all stopped and scrambled around. Many of the women exited in the back way and others stood towards the door to face whatever came ahead. Carmen and Effie stopped dancing and Effie tapped an approaching woman by the shoulder. "What's going on?" she asked.

"A pansy raid," a woman answered in a hurry.

Carmen paled and looked visibly shaken. "Don't worry, I'll protect you," Effie said grabbing the young woman's arm. _Of course,_ she thought, _who's going to protect me_?

The door slammed open and two police officers appeared. Effie glowered with disdain. Of all the police officers in all the precincts in all of Northern California, why did it have to be Det. Polhaus? Effie stepped back taking Carmen with her, so the portly detective wouldn't see her. Wouldn't he love to brag about how he caught Sam Spade's girl Friday at a dyke club? Effie pulled Carmen in the back with her as the two police officers went from patron to patron. Lilli stood next to the lieutenant. "Is there a problem officer?" she asked innocently.

"I thought that we cleared you dykes out," Polhaus said.

"Well if you did, then why are you here?" the society woman asked facetiously.

"We got a call from someone who said that you girls were meeting here, thought we'd take a look," the officer said. They glanced from one woman to another. Polhaus cuffed several women and his aides led them out of the club. Effie blanched as the officer moved closer to where she and Carmen stood. She stepped back further so they wouldn't be seen. The two women tried to sneak away, when Effie didn't look where she was going. She backed into a waitress carrying a tray full of drinks. "I'm sorry," Effie said softly keeping her eye on the police officers. Sure enough the noise got their attention.

Polhaus glanced over at Effie's direction at first confused, but then smiled. He edged closer. "Hey guys, you're Spade's girl aren't you?" His grin indicated that he knew.

"If you mean that I work for Sam Spade then yes," she said.

"And what are you doing here?" he asked. He turned to his colleagues and laughed. "Now won't Sammy be happy to know this?" He grabbed on to the secretary but she resisted. She bit back a remark. She had images of herself being arrested. Of course she would never have the nerve to call her mother; She would have to call Sam to post bail. Well her job would be history after that. Polhaus would certainly make things difficult for Sam if he didn't fire her.

Carmen let go of Effie's grip and stared at her angrily. "Look, just because you're my cousin doesn't mean you can tell me what to do!" Effie glanced at the girl confused, but Carmen continued to rave as she pushed her. "Look why can't you leave me alone?"

Effie nodded and realized what the young woman was trying to do. "Well your Mom sent me to come and get you! We can't get our eyes off of you for five minutes and what are you doing here hanging around in clubs like this?"

Polhaus looked like a cat who's manliness had been cut off after he swallowed a canary. "She's your cousin?"

Effie rolled her eyes. "Unfortunately, yes!" She turned to Carmen and grabbed her. "Now you are coming home with me!"

Carmen glared dangerously at the other woman and laughed out loud. "I think I can find my own way home! You stay away from me!" She turned on her heels and stormed out of the club.

Polhaus looked on in surprise. "Hey you can't-" But Carmen took off before he could say more.

Effie held the police officer's shoulder like he was an old friend. "Look , Detective, she can be a bit wild so I followed her. It's her first time in a place like this and I think she was just curious. It's my fault for not watching her, but she hadn't done anything wrong."

The detective looked confused. "So that's all you were doing here for?"

Effie smiled sarcastically. "Yes, I'm sure you would like to use me as a reason to get at Sam, but you just lost your chance. Wish I could give you more than that!"

The detective glowered. "I'd almost think you were a man the way you mouth off! If this is true, get that girl the hell home. She's on something that's for sure!"

"Oh I will," Effie said snidely. "Am I under arrest?" Polhaus glowered but returned to the other clientele as if indicating that this conversation was over. Effie walked out of the club. Out of the corner of her eye, she could see Lilli shake the police officer's hand. She supposed that she had slipped him a fiver to keep him quiet.

Effie walked outside of the club and sighed with relief. That was pretty close. She heard a soft voice call. "Psst, hey remember me? " She turned around to see Carmen hiding in the shadows. The secretary walked over to the young woman.

"Thanks you saved my skin out there," she said relieved.

"I owed you," Carmen laughed. They heard the door to the club burst open and Effie pushed Carmen further into the shadows. "Not yet wait!" Effie hissed. The two stood in the shadows not daring to move or speak as the police officers reentered the car and drove away.

Effie caught her breath in relief feeling like she could finally breathe right for the first time in several minutes. "The coast is clear. Let's get you back to the hotel."

She hailed a passing cab and both women entered. Effie gave the driver directions to the Hotel Belvedere. In the back seat, Effie's feet gently found their way towards Carmen's. The auburn haired woman then casually draped her hand on top of her new friend's until their fingers touched one by one. Effie felt that rush fill her, the same one that she felt when they were dancing. Was it worth it to try for the inevitable again? Was it worth the risk of getting hurt? She looked once again in those wide brown eyes and that dazed but sweet smile. She had no real answers.

The cab pulled up in front of the hotel and the women disembarked. They began to talk a little as they walked across the outside of the hotel. Effie talked some about her mother, her work, and her boss, Sam. "He's a great guy. Can be a little bit hard sometimes, but he's good at what he does you know?"

Carmen laughed. "He sounds just like my sister's sometime boyfriend, Marlowe. I thought he was a boxer, but he wasn't, he was a shamus. Isn't that a funny word? He said that he was a detective. He's also good at what he does."

Effie laughed back but they approached the doorway to the hotel. "So here we are."

"Yeah," Carmen agreed. She entered with her hotel key. "Listen if you want I can go in first and you can go to the front desk and say you're my sister or something coming for a visit. They'll buzz you up."

The blond woman hesitated. "Look I can't. It's not that I don't want to but-"

Carmen nodded. "I know your boss, and your family and all that. You're too scared about what people think you know."

"No, that's not it," she said. "Well not completely it. You see I had someone before and she- well it didn't work out. Maybe I've been afraid of that reason more than anything else. Maybe that's been the real reason all along. You know what I mean?"

Carmen's face drooped. "Actually, I do. Most of the boys that I had been with either wanted me for my body or my Daddy's money or both and the girls were just as bad." She laughed but in a more self-depreciating tone than before as if she faced the real sobriety of her life."Everyone tells me that I'm happy all the time, fun to be with but sometimes I feel sad that I'm so alone. I guess you do too." But she shrugged. "Guess there's only one way to know for sure." She approached the door and turned around. She leered and beckoned the woman over.

Effie stood still like a statue taking almost superhuman strength to avoid it. She couldn't go through with it, not again. "That's just too big a chance for me to take."

Carmen looked on sadly and didn't laugh. She didn't smile. Instead, she turned around and headed for the hotel door and walked inside the lobby.

Effie paced back and forth and thought of Carmen, the way she looked, the way they danced and touched so closely, her laughter, her fragility, the way they protected each other. It was almost as though Effie was fighting a secret war inside herself. "I can't do it," she said silently. "I can't go through it again." Effie was about to turn on the stoop when she glanced up at the hotel. "There really is only way to know for sure." She gathered her courage and entered the hotel room.

The next morning Effie Perine called Sam and told him that she wouldn't be at work that day.

The End


End file.
